Talk circulates that Newtown High may have been original target; police call it 'rumor'

Newtown Police Chief Michael Kehoe (center) listens to Newtown Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson speak at a press at Wolfe Park in Monroe about the new Sandy Hook Elementary School in Monroe on 1/2/2013.Photo by Arnold Gold/New Haven Register

NEWTOWN -- Word around Newtown High School is that Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter Adam Lanza may have tried to go to the high school before he went to the elementary school and killed 26 people, but spokesmen for the Newtown and state police don't confirm it.

Asked if there's any way it could be true but not something that's come from police, Vance said, "I'll check it again tomorrow. But as of today, the people I checked it with, I have no knowledge of that, whatsoever."

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Asked similar questions earlier in the day following a press conference on the first day back at school for surviving Sandy Hook School teachers, students and staff, Newtown police Lt. George Sinko responded, "We're not going to comment on some of the specifics of the case. Obviously, we're looking into every bit and piece of this and if there's film footage that shows that, we're going to look at it, so we're not going to give out any specifics at this time."

Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson did not immediately return a call for comment. Several other people connected to the high school did not return calls.

Several other people connected to the high school, including students and parents, said that there have been rumors around the high school that Lanza, who began his day Dec. 14 by killing his mother as she lay in bed in their home at 36 Yogananda St., may have tried first to get into the high school -- which he would most like have passed on the way from his mother's house to the elementary school -- before going to Sandy Hook.

Students at the high school said Thursday afternoon that they had heard rumors that Lanza had first come to their school. One student said rumors were circulating around school that Lanza drove up to the school, saw a police car in the entrance and then left to go to Sandy Hook.

The boy said no teachers or administrators had spoken of that, only students.

A parent who has been involved in high school affairs had heard similar things.